Kirkstall Abbey

[poliphilo]

Kirkstall Abbey is a Cistercian house on the outskirts of Leeds- and one of the best preserved monastic ruins in the country. Last time we were here- about ten years ago- it was looking a bit scruffy, but they've since spent £5.5 million doing it up. It's owned by Leeds Council- and admission is free.



The Abbey Church from the north



Church interior, looking East.



North transcept



North East corner of clositer



North range of cloister, with entrance to chapter house

Comments

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

A remarkable survival, well photographed.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

[akirlu.livejournal.com]

Nice. I am particularly taken with the east-facing interior. Lovely.

I am also amused by the notion of 'doing up' a ruin, even if I Do So Know What You Mean.

Just recently watched Terry Jones' Medieval Lives on The Monk, so already had monastic ruins on the brain anyway.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I missed that series. I loved the one he did on the Crusades.

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

There's quite a lot left of it and it all looks so very solid and sturdy. You caught a really lovely perspective in the second photo.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

It must be one of the most complete monastic ruins in the country.

[endlessrarities.livejournal.com]

Ooh! Very nice. It's quite a chunky beast, isn't it? Though I suppose that's not surprising because it is so unashamedly Romanesque (we never made it to Perpendicular in Scotland...).

Thanks for that - it's not one I've heard of before and you certainly gave us a feast of views!!

It's in not bad nick considering, either...

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I love the Romanesque. It's altogether my favourite architectural style.

Setting aside the ones that are still in use- as cathedrals etc- I reckon Kirkstall is the second best preserved monastery in England- the first being Fountains.

[endlessrarities.livejournal.com]

We're planning to visit Fountains in a couple of months. I'm rather looking forward to it. Last time I went there I was fifteen and completely clueless about all things historical.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Kirkstall was a daughter house of Fountains. They're
not all that far apart.

[veronica-milvus.livejournal.com]

In my student days I used to walk there from my disgusting terraced house in Burley.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I was at the University of Kent- so the medieval masterpiece on my doorstep was Canterbury cathedral.

[setsuled.livejournal.com]

Beautiful photos. I wish people still made buildings like that.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

I love medieval architecture.

[glitzfrau.livejournal.com]

I love flying into Leeds Bradford airport from Dublin, coming past the university and then descending down along Kirkstall Road, seing the abbey ruins laid out only a few metres below. Wonderful.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Wow!

[baritonejeff.livejournal.com]

So beautiful...

I would presume that the "ruins" aspect was the work of Henry VIII the Destroyer and his chums?

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Yes the ruination was the work of Henry and his gang.

For several centuries after the reformation a public road ran right through the church. The Victorians (bless 'em) put a stop to that.

[wolfshift.livejournal.com]

Gorgeous photographs of a gorgeous building!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.